Improvement in cotton-gins



H. CLARK.

v Cotton Gin. V r No.1-2-.376.- Patented Feb. '.1,3.-1855.-

I 00 1B MT W y E Q C To aZZ whom it may concern.-

. that the following is a full, clear, and eXact position in front ofand near to the rollers.

three and a half inches in diameter, more or wound spirally on the wood,leaving a space UniTsn STATES PATENT- @Frrcs.

HENRY CLARK, on NEWPORT, FLORIDA.

IMPROVEMENT lN COTTON-GINS.

Specification forming'part of Letters Patent No.12.376. dated February13, 1855.

Be it known that I, HENRY CLARK, of the town of Newport, in the countyof \Vakulla and State of Florida, have invented a new and usefulimprovement in the roller cotton-gin, for the more perfect andexpeditious removal of the cotton-seed from the fiber without injury tothe latter; and I do hereby declare description of the construction andoperation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings,making a part of this speci fication, in which- Figure 1 is aperspective View; Fig. 2, an end view; Fig. 3, an end vertical sectionalview, Fig. 4 a view of the comb and the levers by which it is operated,the same letters representing the same parts in each view.

Letter A represents the frame; B, the main ginning-roller; O, the smallginning-roller; D D, the stripping-rollers; E, the shaft of thefriction-rollers F, the comb; G G, the levers which operatethe comb; H HH, gear-.wheels one on the roller B, one on the roller E, and the otherto connect the two; I, the frictionrollers; J, the cott0nboX; K, thedrivingwhirl, and L the comb-springs. In all of the views the cotton-boxis leftoff in order to show the arrangements of. other essential partsof the machine. This box is simply a board with a narrow rim, and placedin a horizontal To enable others skilled in the art to make and use myinvention, I proceed to describe its construction and operation.

On the top of a suitable frame I secure in journal-boxes the shaft ofthe main ginningroller B. The bars of the frame to which this roller isattached are hinged, so as to lift up with the roller. This rollershouldbe about less, and the length of the inside of the frame, say, fromthree to four feet. This roller may be made all of metal, or of woodcovered with sheet metal, the surface turned perfectly true and smooth.W'hen the roller is made of metal, there must be a spiral groove cut inits surface from end to end, about one-eighth'of an inch deep and wide.When made of wood and covered with sheet metal, the sheet shouldbe cutin strips of about two inches wide and of one-eighth of an inch betweenthe edges of which should project or rise a little, to prevent theslipping of the small rollers G and D D, the roller 0 being aboutthree-eighths of an inch in diameter, and the first strippingroller, D,half an inch in diameter, and the second stripping-roller one inch (moreor less) in diameten-all of metal, (and of a length to correspond withthe rollers B and E,) are secured in adjustable bearings as near eachother as theycan turn and not touch. They are then pressed between B andE. O and D D touching both, the bearings being secured, the machine isput in motion, and all revolve together, B and E by the gear attachingthem together, 0 and D D by the pressure of B and E. The comb F operatesfrom below upward, and forward of and close to the'roller G at the pointwhere the cotton enters. Motion is given to the comb F by two shortlevers, one end of each being attached by a pin to theframe, and theother to the comb. These levers are made to rise by pins on the ends ofroller B, and to fall by springs. For convenience the drivingpulley isattached to the friction-roller shaft. The cotton is fed to the gin froma feed-box, which has a slight motion given to it to facilitate thefeeding.

Operation: The gin being put in motion by any convenient power, thecotton is thrown into the cotton-box. The rollers B and O seize thefiber, while the comb F opens the cotton, and the rollers force the seedback and out of the way, while the cotton passes between the rollers Band E, and with the aid of the stripping-rollers is thrown back on aboard prepared to receive it.

The advantages of this gin over all others used for the long-staplecotton are, first, the rollers being composed of metal or metalsurfaces, are not liable to take fire from friction secondly, the use ofthe very small roller avoids all liability tomash the seed; third, themachine is durable, easily kept in order, and will either smooth orgrooved with avery small one,

gin faster than any other roller-gin in use. the latter driven andsupported, as described, I do not claim as my invention simply rollbythe friction-rollers and the large ginningers for ginning cotton; nor doI claim as my roller, together with one or more strippinginvention thespiral-grooved roller for that rollers and comb, for the purpose. ofremoving purpose, as it is contemplated to use the large cotton-seedfrom the fiber, substantially as arroller Without any groove; nor do Iclaim the ranged and described.

comb simply; but,

, What I do claim as my invention, and desire to secure by LettersPatent, is-

HENRY CLARK.

WVitnesses:

THOMAS C. McKAIN,

The combination of a large ginning-roller, PETER K. BUILBIT.

